Web roll replenisher



Dec. 25, 1956 Filed Feb. 10, 1953 A. W. POMPER 2,775,409

WEB ROLL REPLENISHER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q/QM Dec. 25, 1956 w, POMPER 2,775,409

WEB ROLL REPLENISHER Filed Feb. 10, 19 53 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. FIG 5. JBNTfi NY PQMPER BTTORN EY Dec. 25, 1956 w, POMPER 2,775,409

WEB ROLL REPLENISHER Filed Feb. 10, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR. fiNTHONY w. POMPER p d. M A'r'r ORNEYs WEB ROLL REPLENISHER Anthony W. Pomper, Piscataway Township, Middle'fsex County, N. J., assignor to John Waldron Corporation, NewBrunswick; J., a corporation of New Jersey United States Patent Application February 10, 1953, Serial No. 33 ,035 1 17 Claims. 01. z42--ss The invention relates to web r oll replenishing apparatus and methods and more particularly to apparatus and -methods for effecting more simply what is sometimes known as flying pasting, whereby the leading end of a replenishing bundle or roll of web materialis pasted to the web traveling to converting machinery from an expiring roll without stopping its movement.

It is a generalobject of the present invention to pro- I vide novel and improved methods and apparatus for web,

roll replenishing.

2,775,409 Patented Dec. 25, 1956 Fig. SshoWs in plan a section of web containing a com= ,pleted splice;

Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken through broken line10-10 of Fig. 7 of one side of the machine;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but showing a simplified embodiment of the machine,

1 V .Fig. 12 is a view on an enlarged scale of the splicing More particularly it is an object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for web roll replenishing wherein the new roll is brought up to web speed in one revolution of the roll by direct contact with the web alone.

Itis an important object of the invention to provide a web roll replenisher and method whereby splices may roll bearing block mounting and restraining devicesyand Fig. 13 is an exploded perspective detail of a bundle bearing block and cooperating drive chain lug.

Web-material such as paper, plastic, fabric and the 1 ;like, is usually delivered from a large roll or bundle be efiected with theweb unwinding either with the out- 7 side or the inside up,

Another important object of the inyention comprises the method and means foreifecting a flying splicewhe'reby the new bundle is motor advanced into contactwithtl'ie web where it passes over a splice roll,forcingthe latter =5 to move a short distance against preloaded springs for effecting suitable contact pressure for speeding the new.

bundle, together with means actuated by movement [of the splice roll to stop the motor.

elude:

width of the web.

pressure to accelerate the new bundle in one revolution.

Provision of higher coefficient of friction between travel- Essentialand significant features of the invention into. converting apparatus such as printing machinery, coat- 3 ing devices, embossing or laminating equipment and the like, in a continuous manner. The threading of the web through the conversion machinery is often intricate and time consuming, and it is highly desirable that the web be fed continuously without requiringeither the stop ping of the machine or machines or their rethreading when a new bundle is to replace an expiring one.

Various forms of apparatus have been proposed for Q attaching the leading edge of the web from a new bundle roll driving devices.

.Use of continuous. strips of adhesive throughout, the s 1 r a Use of preloaded springs to obtainsuitable contact 1 to the traveling web from the expiring roll and then cutting the expiring web so that only a short section of overlapped material passes through the machinery. Particularly with high speed apparatus this operation is fraught swith some difliculties, primary among which may be mentioned the need for accelerating the new bundle or roll up to the peripheral speed of the web traveling to the conversion machinery. This has required complex apparatus including variable speed mechanism, governors and In many cases this includes tapes or belts surrounding the new bundle, or friction rollers engaging its surface at several spots throughout its length.

The bundles are heavy, in many cases weighing up to a ton or more, and care must be exercised in bringing them up to a speed to prevent tearing or breaking of the 'ing web. and driven splice roll than between weband newb'undle; V Use of same cut-oifknife on two sides of spliceroll.

material, which is often quite fragile. ment of the leading edge of the traveling web is commonly effected by a coating of adhesive, usually of pressure sensitive type, applied to the outer surface of the leading edge ,of the new bundle for attachment when the two are Automatic reversal ofdirection of drive of spliceroll when opposite nnwindis efiected. l t

. Other and further objects and features of theinvention will be moreapparent to those, skilled in the art upona considerationof the accompanying drawings and followingspecification wherein are disclosed several exemplary embodimentsof the invention with the understanding that i such modifications may be made therein as fall within;

the spirit of the invention.

In said drawings: J

the scope of=the appended'claims without departing from Fig. 1 isga schematlcand diagrammatic showing of the fundamental elements for a machine constructed to carry out the present invention; c

.Fig. 2, is similar to Fig. 1 but showing a two way :or

either side up type of machine set for unwinding out- Fig. 3 is the machine of Fig. 2 setfor unwinding iin- Fig. 4 shows a side elevation of a new roll or. bundle side up;

prepared for splicing.

brought into contact. The various driving means requiring contact with the surface of the new bundle for bringing it up to speed necessitate gaps in the adhesive where r they operate, thus making the application of the material .idifiicultand time consuming and providing a discontinuous attachment of the two webs.

In the various known forms of bundle acceleratingdevices a number of bundle revolutions are required to achieve the necessary peripheral speed and therefore some synchronizing or timing means must be provided to bring the new bundle into contact with the traveling web in the proper phase in respect to the adhesive thereon.

In accordance with the present invention roll driving l means of any type whatsoever are completely eliminated,

. ,as are governors, synchronizers and the like, and the pe ripheral speed of the new bundle is brought up to thatof the web by direct contact therewith and in less than one full rotation of the new bundle. This is achieved by having the web pass over a splicing roll, which is. zpreferablyrubber covered and mechanically drivenat The actual attachthe same-speed-as the web. The surface-ofthedriven roll is always such that the coefficient of friction between the web and this driven or splicing roll is greater than'the coefiicient of frictionbetween the web-and: the

surface of the new bundle pressed against it. This pre-- vents slippage between the web and the driven roll, eliminating strain in the'unsupported web following'the driven rollso that no breakage results; The'bundle'has the outer face adjacent itsleading edgecontinuously coated with a strip of -adhesive and secured down by several'narrow readily breakable tapes; Contact'is made between the new bundle and the splicing roll-closely adjacent'to the strip of adhesive and thenew bundle is brought up to speed in'just less than one rotation; obviating the need for synchronizing means. As soon' as the adhesive engages: the web'onithe splicing rollthe new web is connected'tothe old andiin the usual manner acuttirig knifesevers the old web;

Referringnow to the drawings,and particularly; to Fig. 1,for a diagrammatic illustration of apparatus capable of 'carrying out-the new methodfth'ere is disclosed-at-{IS the expiring'roll of web material mounted'on a spindle. 16 supported in'bearings slidable on surface S, from which itjis drawn" by the driven-splicing roll 17 rotating in the direction indicated. The web passes about'this'roll to th'efextentof approximately 180. ofits circumference and f is' fed ed to the right as shown at Wto converting machinery'driven at the'same web speed as the roll 17 The new'bundle of web material B is shown supported on a spindle 18 whosebearings' are slidable onsurfa'ce S,

and'having a coating19 of pressure sensitive adhesive.

first'ascertaining that the adhesive 19 is just below the line i of contact.v The bundle B is rapidly accelerated because ofthehigh pressure between the two surfaces and by the time the adhesive 19 has made substantially 360 of I0 tation the bundle peripheral-speed is equal to that of the web'and contact is effected between the adhesive and traveling web whereby the new web is drawn off Iadherent to the oldone. The serrated knife 20 operating onarms 21 pivoted to the spindle of the splicing roll'is now rotated' counterclockwise to sever the oldweb. The bundle B'may be backed'oif slightly so that the unwinding results solely from the tension of the web, if desired, and the old bundle 15 and its spindle removed. As soon as the new bundle is. sufliciently reduced in diameterit is advanced to the right over the top of 'thesplicing rollto the position shown'forthe expiring bundle and a new bundle properly prepared is positioned for splicing.

The device shown in Fig. l delivers the web with'itsf outer surface, as wound on the bundle, upward, but itjisj desired that the machine becapable of delivering either outside up or insideup since various webs are wound differently and the desired side must be properly pre In accordance with.

sented' to the conversion machine. Figs. 2 and 3 the addition of.a pair of idler rollers 23 and 24 permits the same machine to be used to deliver either side up." In Fig. 2 the parts all correspond in their dispo-;

sition and arrangement to that shown in Fig. 1 but instead of delivering the web directly from the driven splicin'g roll:it "passe s first around the idler roll 23to rotate the.

same clockwise and then to idler 24 to rotate the same counterclockwise, the web being delivered outside up as in Fig. 1. i

In Fig. 3 the expiring roll is arranged to the left of the new-bundle B, the paper passing over the top of the splic-v ingroll' 17, now rotating clockwise rather than counterclockwise as in Figs. 1 and .2. From there it passes over idler roll 23' and then idler roll 24, rotating them in the same directionas. in connection with Fig. 2.but delivering'the web inside up. The new bundle must" be aclvanced-toward -the left to achieve the splicing and meansmust be provided to rotate the splicing roll in the opposite direction and to actuate'the cutting knife from the left instead of from the right as in Fig. 2. All this can be achieved with simple mechanism such as will be defined in the embodiments of the apparatus about to be described.

Fig. 4 shows thesirnple arrangement of adhesive on the outer face of the web adjacent the leadingedge of the new bundle B. Preferably the end-has its corners charnfered as at C-andawiderband of, adhesive19,applied, adjacent the edge. Two narrow tapes of, readily breakable material are shown at 26 adherent to the end and the body of the bundle to hold down thesendguntil the adhesive engages the traveling web. It then sticks sufficiently hard to break the tapes 26. It will be noted that the direction of rotation issuch that the effort applied to bring the bundle up to speed does notstress these tapes;

Fig. 5 shows the expiring web-W with the attached end and itsadhesive19 from the new web; This attachmentis beneath the'web -W,-asindicated by the dotted lines and by the serrated trailing end-27* of "the oldweb, where it has'beerr cut. In edge view these parts are seen in Fig. 6 where thenumhering is the sameasin Fig-.5.-

Figs; 7, -8, 9, '10 and -13 illustrate a practical embodiment of apparatus for carrying out the process describedin connection with the diagrammatic showings. As shownin-Figs. 7 and8 themachine is contained between, two'side'frames which are like but reversed. They may, 4 each be formed of any, suitable casting'or thelike, or as shown by a metal plate welded to one flange of a surrounding angle bar. The frame is provided, withthe necessary bearings,- not shown indetail, for supporting the several shafts'and spindles. The top surface 31 of each'ofthe side frames-forms a wide horizontal'track on which are supported the half bearings 32'each notched in 'its'upper surface m at 33 for receiving the ends of spindles 16j-and '18 of the expiring and new bundlesrespectively"(seeFig. 13), These blocks are adapted to be traversed. along this surface, 31, when desired, by means of chains 35 operating over sprockets 36; 37, 38 and 39" roughly'nearthe four corners of'eachfr'ame. Each-bearing block, as seen in Fig. 13, has a transverse, notch 40in its under surface adapted to cooperate with a driving lug 41,- a'number-of which are spaced at appropriate intervals along each chain, as seen in Figs. 7 and 13. The chainsrest-on tracks 31 and pass to sprockets 36 andS'Z through slots in the tracks, as seen in Fig. 8, some distance inwardly from the ends thereof so that as the chains advance and passdown through the slots a set of the blocks is left resting on the tracks beyond the sprocket slots so that theexpiring bundle will not fall. Itmay be held against moving under the pull of the unwinding web byfhaving latches (not shown) to engage the blocks 32.

The-"splicing roll 17 is secured to a shaft '43 journalled in a. pair of links or frames 44' which are-pivotedjfon shaft 45 supported near the lower-edgesof the side frames andcarrying the singleidler roll-46 The desired-amount of throw-over-of the splicing roll'by the tilting'of-th'e links 44 is accommodated-by the arcuate slots 48 in the side frames through whichjthe roller shaft 43 passe asseen in=Fig; 10.- l

The primary'purpose of link mounting the splicing; roll is to shorten the overall machine length: If' -a machine is to be used for either inside up or outside up delivery a fixedsplicing'roll'would have to be at'the center'of-the' length of the frames and enough length provided beyond this center in each direction toaccomm oda te anew bundle of maximum'diameter,-whereas with'the rnovable' splicing roll'positioned toward the lesser diameterexpiring web bundle there is provided additional" space for a large new bundle on a frame of-less -length thanrequired for the fixed splicing roll. The drawings-- clearly illustrate this. i

It Will be remembered from the description'of Figsx2" and Sthat there was a reguirment for reversing the directionlof rotation of the splicing roll, a ndtthisj inthe present embodiment is automatically enacted by the' displacement of the. positionjjof the latter; As viewed in Fig. 9,fat least'one of the ends of shaft 43 carrying the sphemgroll which pass out through the slots48is equipped with gear 50 adapted to engage one or theother of drive gears 51 or 52 dependent on the position of thesplicing roll. As seen in one of the gears mounts ascoond gear 53 whereby it is driven from machinery, not illustrated. The gears 51 and52 mesh with each other and hence run in opposite directions so that when gear'50 meshes with gear 51 it drives the spicing roller in thedesired direction and reverses when gear 50 n1eshes with gear 5}. 'Theisplicing roll is'c'asilyshifted by hand from one to the other of its two positions to change the operation ofthelmachine.

In.the operation of bringing the new roll or bundle up to speed, it must be pressedagainst the surface of the web traveling over the splicing roll with adequate pressure to prevent any substantial slippage. This"pressure i s predetermined by means of preloaded stop spring assemblies 55 one near either end of each of the arcuat slotsf48.

Each comprises a housing providing a cylindrical'chamber forhelical spring 56 havinga threadedly, adjustable follower 57 forcing the spring against disc SS having button 59 on the. end thereof projecting through amopening.

zontal sliding in slots the frames and the preloaded spring assemblies 81 are mounted where their buttons are? cont actable bylthese bearing members when engagement in the front end closure for the chamber. This button is p ositioned to be engaged by the appropriate side {of v the link 44. The springs canbe preloaded by their adjusting means since the outer ends are fixed bythe en-Z gagement of disc 58 with the closure. 7 Under thesecon ditions desiredpreloading of the springs canbeetfected. Also adjacent to and adapted tobe engagedbythe corresponding edge ofthe link member is the operator64 of' limit "switch 61. This operator is not pressed-to open the switch circuituntil the desired movement of spring loaded button59 is efiected;

not. shown, by'an operatorr Withthe apparatus positioned' as shown in Fig. 7 the operator waits untilthe' expiring roll 15 is substantially used up.v and then closes the circuit for starting. the motor 62, which throughthe gears and sprockets shown advancesthe chains'35 in a counterclockwise direction for inside up delivery; 5A3 the "bundle B advances to the left its periphery engages The control offthe machine is achieved froni a panel,

the web on the splicing roll and presses the latter toward theleft' against the opposition of itssprings 56. When,

inIaccordance with the preloading of, the springs, ap-..

propriate pressure exists between the .two rolls movement' is sufiicient to operate the switch [button 64 to open the motor circuit stopping the chain drive. .At-

about this time the bundle B is up to speed and the splice is. automatically made as previously explained. -The OP? orator then immediately presses the operating button (not shown) which actuates the cutofi knife and the splicing is finished. At the time that the bundle"B is 'reduced suificiently in size to pass over the splicing roll the chain motor is started again to move the nowjexpiring roll to the. position shown at 15. This movement does 6 not drop the half bearings for the previously expiredrolh oifthetracks, but merely deposits them nearthe ends thereof while the chains and lugs pass down'the slots. These bearings are now carried around to the opposite end of the machine and positioned where they can eachbe engaged by one of the lugs on a chain. a A new.

bundle is then hoisted into position with its shaft in the,

halfbearing notches and readied to be spliced.

The cutoff knife 65 is supported between a pair of shear blades, theends of which are secured to the discs- 66, one journalled on each end of the splice roll s haft 43:

between-the roll and the link 44, as best seen in Fig. 10.

At each end of the machine an air cylinder 67 has its lojwer end pivoted at 6 8 to link 44 justabove the idler rqlLandhas itspistonrod pivoted'at 69 to the knifefdisc When the piston rods of the air cylinders are retracted the knife moves with 'it, retaining the initial position shown in Fig.97, but a push on the air control button j brings the knife to the dotted line'position 71, so that I on release of air'pressure in the operating cylinders it drops' over 'to" the right and is ready for cutting-when theweb is unrolled in the opposite direction.

A simpler embodiment of the invention is shown in" Figs. 11 and 12. Here the essentials are somewhat like" those already described but since the splicing roll 17 is not displaceable except through the slight amount necessary. to actuate the limit switches, it must be atthe center of the length of th'e. frames, which then must be a longer than.in the preferred'embodiment in order to be able to I accommodate a full sized new bundle at either side of the splicing roll. The bundle drive chains and other parts are similar to that just described, but the bearings 80. for the splicing roll arejmounted for hori occurs betweenthe advancing new bundle and the splicing'roll. Similarly the limit switches 82 are appropriate-j "ly laced. The arrangement is shown in greater detail" in F ig. 12, where the arrangement of the parts will be readily recognized This machine has all of the advantages and effects the same satisfactory splice as the pre-' ferred form but is somewhat greater in length. Also the preferred form provides .a better component of effort to move the splicing roll against its preloaded springs because of the downward direction of movement of the roll by virtue of its link mounting.

The construction disclosed in Fig. 11 may be modified and simplified by mounting the bearings for the splicing roll to slide vertically downwardly when contacted by the new bundle, thereby reducing the required numberof sets of preloaded springs and the numberof limit switches.

The embodiment of Fig. 11 shows two idler rolls 84 and 85 over which the web passes for delivery. In this embodiment as in .the preferred it may befo'und under certain conditions of supply roll location that the arc of contact of the web with the driven splicing roll is in sufiicient for proper web. drive, in which case the roll, or rolls referred to as idlers maybe driven at proper speed to rnaintain the desired tension on the web for unwinding the bundle, etc. i

I claim:

l. The method of accelerating a new roll of webmate rial for attachment to a web traveling from an expirlng roll comprising passing the traveling Web over a rigid splicing roll, driving the splicing roll at -a peripheral speed equivalent to the web speed, mounting the newroll forv initial free roation, advancing the mounted new rollrectilinearly into tangential contact with the portion of the.-

travelling web supported on said splicing roll, rapidly increasing the contact pressure sutiiciently to accelerate: the new roll from zero to a peripheral speed equivalent 7 to the web speed in slightly less than one revolution of i the new roll, and moving the remainder of the new r011 i when nearly depleted in the same rectilinear path over.

thesplicing roll to the expiring roll position.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 in which the coetficient of friction betwen the traveling web and the splicing roll is maintained higher than that between the traveling weband thesurface of said new roll whereby slippage between the traveling web and the splicing roll is prevented.

- 3. Apparatus for web rol lreplenishing comprising 7 cornjbination; means; to, rotatably support a ;r01l web or, use at; apredetermined speed a-rigi liv ine, splicing...

roll hav ingpantial peripheral contact with said ,web, means tovdriye thetsplicing: rollattwe b speed,;means to;initiajlly freely rotatably support a replenishing,, roll of, web hav: ing the outer surfaceof its end.coated'withjadhesi-ve,

power means torapidly: :advance the last, mentioned rolls rectilinearlyatazerorotational speed to tangentially con-v tacnthe travelingzwetr wheresupported on the splicing roll with sufficient pressure toraccelerate the replenishing rollfrom zero toweb speed in less, thanone revolutionrthereofinieans to stop. the power means causingad:

vance of the replenishing-rolLnnd means responsive to:

a predetermine'dlcontact pressure betweenthe. replenishingr-oll. and .splicing rolls ,to actuate the stop means.

'4. The apparatus of claim 3 inflwhichmeans is pro vided to advance the, newrollabove the splicing roll drawing said web from said bundle,over.,-and in contactwithsaid splicing roll with substantially no slippage, means toinitiallyfreely rotatably: support a new bundle of web in a position nearly contacting the web :on .said splicing rectilinear path into tangential contact with said Web where supported by the splicing roll with sufficient pressureioacceleratethenew bundle from zero. speed at contact untiliits peripheral speed equals that of the traveling webiandinlesswthan onev revolution of the new bundle, and-mechanism associated with said new'bundle advancing means to simultaneously move th expiringbundle fartheriromthe splicing roll along said rectilinear path.

6.-,The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said .splicinglroll isdiSplaceable under said new bundle contact, and include ingpreloaded spring means resisting said movement and means responsive to a predetermined amount Otf splicing roll displacement to terminate said bearingblo'ck drive.

,7. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said frames have cqntinuous'track surfaces thereon and wherein the surface of thelsplicing roll is below the track surfaceswherebythe new bundle when partiallyexpiredimay be advanced on said track to the position of the first mentioned, web delivering bundle, and including means to reverse the directi-ongofrotation of said, splicing rolland the bundle. ad-

vancing means w-hereby'web' may be delivered either inside up or outside up.

8,11} 21 Web splicing apparatus, in combination, a pair ofspaced 'si-de frames each having a horizontal track surface at the top thereof, bearing blocks slidable on said tracks and adapted to rotatably support an expiring web bundlej adjacent one end of'the tracks for web delivery to a machine withdrawing it at a predetermined rate and a 'newweb bundle at theother, a splicing rollrotatably supported-intermediate said bundles and having its surface-entirely below the level ofsaid tracks, means-to drivesaid roll at delivered web speed, an idler roll to deliver said Web from said splicing roll always toward the sameendof the frames, means to reverse the direcv.30 roll, means to rapidly advance the new bundle; alongza x tionof-rotation of t he splicing roll whereby'the web mayi be delivered inside-up with the expiring bundle at oneend of thetracks or outside up with the bundle at the other end -o f=the tracks, and-motor drivenmeans to ad- Vance said blocks whereby a new bundle at the track end oppositethe expiring bundle may be forced "into contact withftheweb on the splicing roll for acceleration thereby and splicing-thereto and may later be moved above the splicingrollto the-opposite end of the tracks,

'9. The apparatus of claim 8 inwhich movable'bearings areiprovided forsaid, splicingroll and includingresilient. md flsiopposing niovem'entrof .said bearings: and a switch actuatable. onv predetermined movement of--the splicing, rollgrsaidkswitehlbeing arranged to stop, s'aid motor driven meanest/hereby when the newbundle moves-the splicing n roll sufficiently for-acceleration of the former in one revolution'advancementofthe new bundle is terminated.

liliThelL'apparatus of ;claim 8 in which .the coefficient of;fricti011-.betweenlthel traveling .Webv and the splicing roll' is' greater than that between thetweb. andthe surface:

of the new bundletwhe'rehy breakage of the web is pre-- vented;

lLjThejappziratus ofclaim 8 in. which movable bear-:- in'gs; are provided forsaid ,splicingroll, and .includinga a pairofflinks' having their lower ends pivoted respectively. to the'sid'efr'ame's' and each carrying at its upper end one:

of said ,bearings, stop meansfor each link to determine its normal limit of movement on each side:of vertical,

the means to drive said-splicing roll comprising. a gear. secured thereto, a pair of meshing gears positioned so as to be. alternatively meshed with the roll gear when the rollj'links are in one or the other of the normal limit positions, and means to drive one of said meshinggears.

12;"1he apparatus of claim 11 in which the distance between the surface ofthesplicing roll and the ends of the frames most'dis'tant therefrom in either of its .stopped positions'is ,just'slightly greaterthan the radius of a new bundle;

13:1 The apparatus of claim 11 in which a secondary drive roll isarranged on a fixed axis adjacent the axis of the saidlin'ks, is driven at web speed and receives theweb. passing from the expiring roll over the splicing roll and.

under thEse'condarydrive roll.

14.1Thfe apparatusof claim 11' in which a knife is pro-, videdtof sever the expiring web after the splice, and in-.-

eluding dis'cs journalled coaxial with the splicing roll mounting said knife, an air cylinder andtpiston connected between each disc and. link. and means to actuate the pistons in "unison to raise the knife to an active position substantially' in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the links.

15;"TIltfe apparatus ofv claim 14'wherein the connections.-

'to thedis'cs are, diametrically opposite to the knife whereby itmay be caused to assume by gravity an inoperative positiontoward vthe low sides of the links whatever their a setting:

16...Apparatus for supportinga new and an expiring bundle of web for delivery in a replenishing splicing operation comprising a pair of side frames having horia zontalqtracktops, bearing blocks slidable on said tracks and adapted to rotatably support. said bundles, a con.

tinuous chain adapted to travel along the top surface of eachtrackbtween slots adjacent the track ends, sprockets guidingsaidchains through said slots and beneath said tracks'adja'cent said .slots, means to drive said chains,

spaced.tr ansverse lugs on said chains, a longitudinal slotv in each block to straddle the chain, a transverse slot in each block to receive a chain lug and bev driven/thereby, each;track extending outwardly beyond each track, slot.

therein a suflicient distanceto support a block disengaged from saidchain.

17. Apparatus for web roll 'replenishing comprising in. combinatiommeans to rotatably support a roll deliver-- ing web for use at a predetermined speed, a rigid splicing roll having partial peripheral contact with said web, means =todrive thesplicing roll at web speed, means to initially freelyrotatablyisupport a replenishing roll of web having the outer surface ofits end coated with adhesive, power means to, rapidly advance the last mentioned roll rectilinearly at,zero rotational speed to tangentially contact the traveling web where supported. on the splicing roll with suflicient pressure to accelerate the replenishing roll] from zeroto web speed in less .thanone revolutionthereof, a cutting device, pivotedon the axis of the splicing rollflfor movement from an inoperative position to'a position be- 9 tween the splicing roll and the expiring roll to sever the expiring web, and means to reverse the inoperative position of the cutting device for use when the web approaches the splicing roll from the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stone Jan. 22, 1929 10 Kohler May 3, 1932 Schultz et a1. July 17, 1934 Wood July 14, 1936 Caifery Nov. 16, 1943 Clem Oct. 25, 1949 Dickhaut Jan. 15, 1952 Jacobs Mar. 8, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 17, 1930 

